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Friday, November 4, 2016

Riders vs BC: Does Anyone Care?

Saturday the Riders close out the 2016 season with a game that may challenge civic elections in terms of people who are interested enough to care. Look I'll watch the game (lord knows I've watched worse football) but this won't be a very good game. Given how well our team showed up in front of an emotional and engaged home crowd, how much worse do you think it will be on a road game where we are starting a guy named GJ at quarterback... what kind of name is GJ? Add some letters and at least make it GI-Joe, now that I could get excited about.

I won't bother breaking this game down to much as essentially it boils down to this. BC is the home team and a win clinches them a home playoff game. We are on the road and will likely be in full "evaluate the new guys" mode. Short of all 46 BC players breaking their femurs in pre-game warm-up, I don't see this leading to anything but an ass kicking.

But if you're reading this, you are likely a glutton for punishment like me and will be watching, so here are some things we can collectively watch for. It sounds like the Durant extension is an eventuality but we don't yet have a bona fide back up or heir apparent. Jake Waters may have been the guy (though I doubt it) but he broke his collar bone. That leaves the aforementioned GJ Kinne as the guy to watch. I'm expecting next to nothing from him (other than getting killed behind our NO-line) so anything positive he does is gravy. I would expect Brandon Bridge to get a chance to throw but then I don't think very much of him either. I'm a real ray of sunshine today I know. Maybe one of them will surprise me but in all likelihood neither are part of the QB competition in camp next year.

With the huge news that Roosevelt has extended through 2018 (sweeeeeeeet!) the pressure now on the other import receivers. With guys like Collins, Holley, Craig, Fuller and Edwards possibly competing for 2-3 roster spots the time is now for the new guys Bates, Boone, etc... to start getting notice.... though them catching a pass is contingent on our QB having enough time to get a pass off before being sacked so its not an ideal spot for them.

Given that its likely the D is on the field a lot, it will be a good chance for some of those guys to make an impression. Guys like Hunter and Adams in the secondary or some of the potential Canadian safeties like Lue or Webster could all make a case for why they should be brought back next year. Even my new favourite player Milhouse could take a step forward and earn the name Thrillhouse (I have t-shirts printed just in case).

Either way I recommend rock bottom expectations and some alcohol as a precursor to enduring this game. Then we can all say good riddance to 2016... which was somehow almost twice as good as 2015. Next will be good right? Right?